#bump-proof locks

Spacious on the inside and impregnable from the outside, the safe was solid and weighty – a real monster of a box. Indeed, opening its thick metal door would take some serious work. But when a safe cracker who goes by the name of “unkapier” did finally gain to access to its interior, he was richly rewarded.

“I’m a locksmith,” wrote unkapier in 2014 on the image-sharing website Imgur. “Got to open this safe today,” he added as he shared photos of his exploit. And what a safe it was. Now defunct, the Mosler Safe Company used to manufacture boxes and bank vaults from 1874 to the turn of the 21st century.

In fact, Mosler vaults were renowned for their impenetrability. For example, during the Second World War Mosler vaults installed in Mitsui Bank in Hiroshima, Japan, even survived the atomic bomb. They just don’t make ’em like that anymore.

Indeed, after the war Mosler’s reputation earned it numerous high-profile contracts. Working for the U.S. government, the company manufactured doors for missile silos and other security features. The company even built the vault once used to display the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

Clearly, the safe that unkapier had been contracted to work on wasn’t quite as heavy duty. However, the mark of Mosler likely meant that he had his work cut out. And so gathering his tools, he began the laborious task of penetrating the vault’s door. First, he set to work on the solid brass combination dial.

Read more.. When This Locksmith Cracked Open An Old Safe, It Revealed Some Extraordinary Treasure 

Related Article: Why Get A Reputable Locksmith?

Advantages of Rekeying Locks

Like anything, there are always pros and cons. Here are some of the advantages of rekeying your locks:  

Enhanced Security  

Rekeying your locks can reinforce them and make your property more secure. This is because it strengthens the lock and makes any keys that have been duplicated null and void. Many new homeowners will have locks rekeyed since so many contractors have had access to their new home. In some cases, if they are moving into an older home, previous owners may still have keys to the home. It really is a sense of security that most people will appreciate when they have a lock rekeyed.  

Affordability  

Since the locksmith works with the key pins, it makes it very inexpensive. This makes it less expensive to have the lock rekeyed rather than replaced. The labor is generally more expensive than they actually rekeying. You wouldn’t want to waste your valuable time trying to handle it because it could cost you more in time than in money.  

Fast & Simple  

When you allow a professional locksmith to rekey your locks, it should be very fast and easy. That is because it doesn’t require a lot of time and tools to do. It only requires a spanner, catch tool, decoder, and the key. If you have never rekeyed a lock before, you may not realize the needed tools to effectively handle the job, which is why you should leave it to our locksmiths to handle.

Replacing Locks

Replacing a lock is just that, removing an old lock and replacing it with a new lock. The entire lock is removed and replace with an entirely different lock. This is more expensive than simply rekeying the lock. That is because a new lockset is required. Once you have determined that you would like to replace a lock, you now have to determine which type of lock you will replace it with. When trying to figure out what type of lock to replace your existing lock with you will need to consider your budget and the features that you would like for your new lock to have.  

Changes in the weather can wreak havoc on so many things, and your door locks are one of them. Extreme temperatures at either end of the thermometer can cause problems or even damage to your locks. Welby Locksmith wants to share some ways your locks can be affected by the weather, when you can might be able to deal with lock problems yourself, and when to call us (or your local provider) for some expert help.

Problems in the summer heat

When the weather heats up, things tend to expand. Doors and door frames are not immune to the effects of the heat, and both are prone to expanding. When a door or a door frame expands, it can cause the locks to stick. A deadbolt lock is especially susceptible to becoming compressed as the door swells. The type of material that the door is made of makes a difference too. Wooden doors are much more likely to expand than other materials. Finally, high temps can even have the potential to distort keys, rendering them unable to be used in a lock. All of these things, whether on their own or happening in combination with one another, can make locking and unlocking your doors in hot weather problematic at best and impossible at worst.

Problems in the winter cold

It’s not just the heat of the summer that can cause problems with your locks. The cold of the winter is actually harder on doors than the heat is. Problems are more widespread the lower the temperature goes, especially when it dips below the freezing point. There are two main problems that happen in locks in the cold weather. The first is that locks can freeze. As the temperature drops below freezing, the potential is created for any moisture that has found its way into your locks to freeze. This renders the lock totally useless, making it impossible for you to open it. If it’s your car door lock that’s frozen, it’s likely that your remote opener on your key fob won’t work either since the system is freezing up, not just the place where you put the key. Sometimes you can fix the issue by briefly heating your key over an open flame (like a lighter) and then putting it into the lock. The heat of the key should be able to melt the frozen lock, allowing you to enter your car or home.

The second thing that happens in cold weather is that locks can contract. Cold temperatures tend to make thing contract or get smaller, and locks are no exception. As discussed above when the doors expand due to summer heat, contraction of the door or door frame in extreme cold can likewise cause a poor fit between the lock and the door, and make it impossible for you to get your key in and turn it. If it’s a regular door to your house, you might be able to pull on the door hard enough from the outside to make a difference, but that’s not a permanent solution and repeatedly yanking on the door can cause the problem to worsen.

If you wish to continue to use your locks effectively, you  will need to make sure they are properly maintained. This isn’t necessarily  hard to do but unfortunately, many people neglect doing anything to preserve  the longevity of their locks. Although homeowners make good use of their locks,  rarely do they properly maintain them. Even with the best types of locks, they  can fail you if they are not being care for or if they have not been installed  correctly. Most people assume that a lock will last forever. While the  structure of the lock may remain, the functionality of the lock itself may not.  The lifespan of even the best made lock is seven years. If you are going to  properly maintain your lock, try doing the following.  

   Ensure the Door is Hung Right  

   If the door is not properly hung you will experience  problems with your lock. If your door binds and has sags, this will put a lot  of pressure on the lock bolt and latch.   This is what will ultimately cause it to fail you when you need it to  work. Utilizing the services of a reputable door service is a great place to  start to make sure your door is hung properly the gap and frame must be about  the same length on every side. This would be approximately an eighth inch and a  quarter inch less.  

   You may begin to experience problems with your door if there  is a problem with the hinges, keys or door strike plate.  

     Assessing the Strike Plates and Screws    

   There should be a screw that is long enough to connect the  top hinge to the doorframe. It should be able to fit securely into the wall  frame and attached around the door. A longer screw will be applied to help  prevent sagging and to prevent break-ins. Hinge screws should be staggered,  however, the long screws should be right in the middle of the wall. You can  take a look at the strike plates while looking at the frame. The deadbolt  strike plate should be firmly secured to the wall frame with long screws,  similar to the hinges.